Unexpected Help Putting up the Tree

You've heard of living nativities? Here's a living ornament.


But it became a little too active.



Video version:


We still need to find a permanent home for this darling kitty! Don't you want her?

My Most Unusual Interviews

This is one of them. I actually interviewed Buddhist priests in Cambodia. You can see the 3 spires of the wat (temple) in the background between me and the first priest.

Nature Photography

My most interesting nature shots, according to Flickr.

A Few Vintage Shots

Victory in Iraq Day

There is a grass-roots movement to recognize the victory in the Iraq war. Today's date has been chosen arbitrarily as a day of recognition.

Should We Bail Out High-Living, Inept Auto Execs?

Let's listen in to part of a conversation between Rich Galen and a fictional class:

The CEOs of what are now laughingly called "the big three" fly into Washington to make their case to the appropriate Congressional Committees. How do you think they got from Detroit to Washington?

...

If you were the head of any of the major domestic automobile manufacturing companies' public relations department what would you have recommended?

Take a commercial flight?

Good! First class or coach. Remember Ford has closed 17 plants and laid off more than 51,000 employees over the past three year.

COACH! COACH!

Yes, well. They didn't do that. Anyone else? Yes, Mr. Dimwitty?

They flew first class?

Not a bad guess but no. Someone else want to give this a shot? Miss Gotrocks?

They shared a private plane?

That, I think, might have been defensible. But, sadly, that is not what they did. Ok. I'll tell you what they did. Each Chief Executive Officer of the each of the three major American car companies took his own private jet from Detroit to Dulles Airport to attend the Congressional hearings during which they were going to beg for $25 billion.

...

They really, actually each flew in their own private multi-million dollar jet plane. The Ford guy doesn't even live in Michigan, much less Detroit. According to ABC's Brian Ross,

Alan Mulally actually lives in Seattle, not Detroit. The company jet takes him home and back on weekends.

You would think that the board of directors over at Ford might have thought it might have made some sense for the company's CEO to live within commuting distance to the office.

...

According to published reports, the average United Auto Worker union member makes about $73 per hour. How much does Mr. Mullaly make per hour? Let's do the math.

Forty hours a week times 52 weeks (ignoring vacation and holidays) = 2080 hours. If we divide 21 million by 2080 we come up with a bit over $10,000 per hour.

Ten. Thousand. Dollars. Per. Hour.

And there's nothing to indicate he can hit major league pitching.

You might think the CEOs of the three majors would be willing to take a little haircut on their salaries after getting out of their private jets and into their private limos on their way to plead for you and me to provide then $25 billion to make up for their dreadful decisions.

Are these the right people to throw billions of taxpayer dollars at?

Read the rest of this painfully perceptive article at Townhall.com.

Church of God Sites in North Carolina & Tennessee

IPPA board with our guide for the day, Dr. Beaty, at the founding location of the Church of God, dated at 1886.


Larger-than-life Ten Commandments at Fields of the Wood Bible Park in North Carolina, historic site operated by the Church of God of Prophecy.



The beautiful North Cleveland Church of God.

Two Church Headquarters in Cleveland, Tenn.

We conducted IPPA board meeting today at both locations. We were at the Church of God campus in the morning and the Church of God of Prophecy HQ in the afternoon. It was a great experience with great hospitality from both of these great churches.

At Church of God of Prophecy HQ


Church of God HQ Grounds


Executive Conference Room, Church of God HQ

In Cleveland ... Tennessee

I'm in Cleveland, Tenn., for the executive board meeting of the International Pentecostal Press Association, for which I serve as president. The meeting is being hosted by the Church of God and the Church of God of Prophecy, which both have their headquarters here. The fall colors are gorgeous here, though temps are icy.

Tonight I was at North Cleveland Church of God. It is the oldest existing CoG church, dating from 1906. The current architecture is some of the most beautiful I have seen. Heard Pastor Mitch Maloney preach. Very enjoyable service.

Cat and Mouse

Our rescued kitten with one of her favorite toys. She's still free to a good home!

Cat and Mouse from kj wq on Vimeo.

Peggy in the Hope Report (Convoy of Hope)

Nov/Dec 2008 issue.

What Is an American?

On Veterans Day, I am expressing my appreciation of the wonderful men and women who have defended this country. And I'm passing along this powerful statement about Americans that has circulated on the Internet since 2001.

What Is an American?

You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American. So I just thought I would write to let them know what an American is, so they would know when they found one.

An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani, or Afghan. An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them choose.

An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country. As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan. The best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best athletes.

Americans welcome the best, but they also welcome the least. The national symbol of America welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.

These in fact are the people who built America. Some of them were working in the Twin Towers in the morning of September 11, earning a better life for their families.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

So look around you. You may find more Americans in your land than you thought were there. One day they will rise up and overthrow the old, ignorant, tired tyrants that trouble too many lands. Then those lands, too, will join the community of free and prosperous nations.

And America will welcome them.

By Peter Ferrara, an associate professor of law at the George Mason University School of Law in Northern Virginia. Mr. Ferrara's commentary was originally published in the National Review on 25 September 2001.

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters to Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

You must watch this! It is hilarious.

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

What's Ahead With Obama?

The Obama Administration (2009-2013)
by Dee Wampler

American voters have selected Barack Obama as our new president. Professing Christians who voted otherwise must now get over it. It’s a done deal. For those believing the Bible is the inerrant Word of God and who faithfully follow God’s Word--it’s time to return to work. I don’t mean let’s just go back to church, hide, and lock the door. I mean let’s go back to the culture war!

1. Christians must defend and protect all innocent babies and boldly advocate for the precious value of human life. Obama will become the most pro-abortion president ever and our nation will pay a terrible price. Obama may crush the pro-life movement as he supports the barbaric partial birth abortion procedure. Obama may expect the American people to fund unlimited abortions. It is “above his pay grade” to protect the unborn. Christians need to continue the fight.

Read the whole article here.

Attorney Dee Wampler has written for TPE. This article appeared in Ozarks Christian News, published by our friends John & Lila Sacoulas.

Pakistan Earthquake 2005

Stills taken of the destruction caused by the massive earthquake in Pakistan in 2005. I took these shortly after the quake.

Pakistan Earthquake 2005 from TPE AG on Vimeo.

Portland Blazers-Houston Rockets Amazing Finish 11/6/08

Seven points scored in 1.9 seconds!

I am a Portland Blazers fan. Actually I'm a fan of all things Oregon. It's my favorite state though I only lived there 5 years. I saw this amazing finish on tape. Three last-second shots. We pick up the game with about 10 seconds left in overtime, tied; the Rockets have the ball. Watch the full clip. It's an amazing sequence.

Christians in Iran Face Severe Persecution

Sam Yeghnazar’s father was instrumental in planting the Church in Iran’s early days with the Assemblies of God. I have been with Sam overseas. His very important report follows:

November 21-23, 2008: Three Days of Prayer and Fasting for Iran

In response to a year of persecution and the imminent passing of a law making the death sentence mandatory for all Muslim men who turn to Christ and life imprisonment for Muslim women who turn to Christ, Iranian church leaders are calling for prayer and fasting from November 21 – 23, 2008.

They know they have no influence in the courts of men – but they want to take their case to the courts of heaven.

And like Esther of old, the queen of Iran who told Mordecai to ask all the people of God to pray and fast for three days, so Iranian Christian leaders are asking the world-wide church to also set aside these three days for prayer and fasting.

If you are a prayer leader in your church, please contact other intercessors to be involved in these three days, and please approach your pastor to see if special prayers for Iran can be made at your church service on Sunday November 23.

2008: YEAR OF INTIMIDATION FOR CHRISTIANS IN IRAN

The growing church in Iran is under attack. Since April there have been at least fifty three arrests of people whose only crime is their faith in Jesus Christ. The arrests are not localized, but have happened in all of Iran’s major cities…Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Shiraz, Kerman, and elsewhere. Sometimes people have been released the same day, others spent months in prison, some still remain behind bars. Many of them have had to pay exorbitant fees for bail and face frightening court cases. Some have suffered physically while in detention and it is believed that one elderly couple died as a result of being beaten up. These are only the arrests that get reported: it is likely there have been many more.


All of this has been happening against the ominous background of legislation going through the Iranian parliament that will make the death sentence mandatory for any man who leaves Islam and chooses another faith. Women will face life imprisonment for the same ‘crime’. Click here to read more about this legislation.

Despite the persecution, the church in Iran continues to grow rapidly. The Word of God is reaching many in the country and many believers are determined to courageously share Christ with their countrymen. Christian leaders in Iran believe that the church will continue to grow very rapidly in the next five to ten years, such is the openness of Iranians to the Gospel.

We urge Christians world-wide to pray and fast on behalf of the church in Iran.
Pray for all those who have been arrested and intimidated. Pray that the Lord will be their Rock, Deliverer and Shield. (Psalm 18:2)
Pray that despite the persecution, Christians will be “encouraged to speak the Word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” (Phil 1:14)
Pray against the law of apostasy. Pray that the severe mandatory punishments regarding apostasy in Iran’s new penal code will not enter the statute book. Pray that many millions of Muslims will see the evil of this law and will hunger for spiritual truth and salvation.
Click here for more details about persecution in Iran in 2008.

Thanks you for praying for Iran.

Sam Yeghnazar
Prayforiran.org/Elam Ministries

Unexpected Eye Surgery

Sunday afternoon as Peggy and I were returning from a trip, while I was driving, my right eye suddenly went blurry, like looking through a muddy windshield. I also began seeing light flashes. Monday morning, shortly after I got to work, I got in to see my GP who rushed me to an ophthalmologist.

He diagnosed me with a retinal tear requiring immediate surgery. I had the laser surgery to repair the tear and keep it from becoming a detached retina. My vision in that eye has not yet returned to normal, which makes life difficult for a writer and editor. I also have considerable travel scheduled.

I would appreciate your prayers that my vision return to normal quickly. Thanks, all.

The Twelve Irish Tenors

There's been enough heavy stuff lately. Here's something lighter. Peggy and I recently saw The Twelve Irish Tenors in Branson. This is a remarkable show, one of the best we've seen. Here's a promo clip to give you a sample.

I Voted ...

... for John McCain and Sarah Palin ... and decency and morality.